Oral diseases are uncomfortable to treat but easy to prevent
Teeth cleaning is a very efficient way of preventing many annoying problems.
The article was written in cooperation with Mediaplanet as a part of the Mouth, Eyesight and Hearing campaign. The original article can be found from Kansanterveys.fi.
Children should be taught to look after their teeth, as good dental hygiene equals a healthy mouth.
According to Dr. Jukka H. Meurman, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases at the University of Helsinki, how well Finnish people look after their teeth varies considerably.
- Dental care is a part of a healthy lifestyle. The different attitudes to health also apply to dental hygiene.
It is recommended that teeth are brushed twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossed regularly. Brushing keeps teeth and gingival pockets clean, which reduces tooth decay and gingivitis.
Regular visits to the dentist are also important, as oral health is not a small matter.
Dr. Meurman reminds us that numerous studies have verified the link between oral health and, for example, cardiovascular diseases.
- Diabetics and patients with cardiovascular diseases often neglect to look after their oral health. The same goes with many other general diseases.
Periodontitis can be completely asymptomatic
Bad habits for oral health are the same as bad choices general health. Unhealthy lifestyle affects teeth.
“From an oral health perspective, healthy and sensible eating habits mean limiting meals to five times a day and avoiding alcohol use,” says Meurman.
Snacking and sipping acidic or sweet drinks causes constant demineralisation, which allows bacteria to thrive. Smoking should also be avoided, as smokers almost always suffer from gum infections and deepened gingival pockets. Smoking also increases the risk of oral cancer.
If the teeth are not cleaned properly, the plaque accumulates on the teeth surface and the gingival pockets. The process of dental decay begins. The bacteria in the plaque irritates the gums and causes gum infection.
According to Dr. Meurman, if gingivitis is left untreated it can progress to gum disease (periodontitis), which weakens the connective tissue of the tooth and can lead to a very unpleasant outcome.
- Periodontitis is an inflammation of the tooth's supporting tissue, which is practically due to a lack of oral hygiene. It is caused by bacteria living in the mouth that form plaque and tartar and irritates the tissue. The first symptoms are bleeding gums, but the disease is insidious and often almost asymptomatic: it gradually removes teeth from the mouth.
Dr. Meurman encourages people to follow simple dental care guidelines, as caries, gingivitis and periodontitis are completely preventable.
The Lumoral method helps when enhanced hygiene is needed
What if the aforementioned methods are not enough? For some people, it is not enough to simply brush and floss the teeth to prevent oral diseases. It's known that more than 70% of Finns suffer from gum infection.
The Lumoral method was developed with dentists to enhance the care and cleaning of teeth. It helps in situations where traditional tooth brushing and flossing is not enough and doesn't achieve good enough dental hygiene. The effectiveness of Lumoral is based on a unique technical mouthwash that has previously only been used by dentists.
In the Lumoral method, technical mouthwash is activated by light, which has an antibacterial effect to the dental plaque and gingival border. The method also affects the invisible plaque that the toothbrush does not normally remove. The teeth are brushed after the treatment, and the enhanced cleanliness makes the teeth feel smoother and more slippery. The antibacterial effect targets the plaque and the normal bacterial flora of the mouth is not disturbed.
Regular use of Lumoral reduces the formation of new plaque and tartar. Good oral hygiene, supported by Lumoral, prevents cavities and gingivitis, and the development of these comorbidities. Better condition of the gums supports fresh breath due to the reduced number of anaerobic bacteria in the gingival border, gingival pockets and interdental spaces.